Lathing machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 9, 1943. J, F BULLER 2,310,512

LATHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25, 1940 Patented Feb. 9,1943 UNITED sTATss PATENT ziasiz OFFICE LATHING MACHINE John F. Buller,Dallas, Oreg. Application September 25, 1940, Serial No. 358,373

5 Claims.

This invention relates to lathing machines and is particularly adaptedfor applying wooden laths to the studding of buildings to be lathed andplastered.

'I'he primary object of the invention is to provide a holder for holdinga number of laths in spaced relation with one another while nailing themto the studding. l

A further object of the invention is to provide a lathing machine forholding the laths in spaced relation with one another while adjusting aholding clamp to the laths, said holding clamp having suitable mechanismtherein for clamping the laths in spaced relation with one another andholding them while they are being nailed to the studding of the wall.

A still further object of my invention is to so build alathing machinethat can be folded up into a small space while not in use.

'These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawings,specification and claims to follow:

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my new and improved lath holding rack,having laths stacked therein. This view also shows the holding clampbeing applied to the upper layer of the laths which are to be applied tothe studding of the building.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the lath holding rack.

Figure 3 is a side view of the holding rack in the process of beingfolded into a smaller space.

Figure 4 is a plan view looking down on the holding clamp, having lathsclamped thereto.

Figure 5 is an inverted plan perspective View of the clamp.

Figure 6 is a sectional view. taken on line 6 6 of Figure 4, looking inthe direction indicated, parts broken away for convenience ofillustration.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary plan sectional view, taken on line 'l--'I ofFigure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on line 8 8 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is an inverted fragmentary sectional view of the holder as itis applied to the laths before the laths are locked in place.

Figure l0 is the same as Figure 9 after the laths have been locked inplace.

In the drawings:

I will first describe the lath holding rack for l stacking the laths,one upon the other, in spaced relation. The main frame for the holdingrack is indicated by numeral I and is supported upon legs 2 and 3. Thelegs 2 are pivotally mounted to the frame at 4 and are held in uprightposition by 55 suitable brackets 5. The legs 2 are connected together bya cross bar 6 at their upper ends, having their lower ends mounted onthe shaft 1, which is journaled within the rollers 8. Extending upwardlyfrom the cross bar 6 is spacing bars 9 for separating the stacks oflaths IIJ. The legs 3 are pivotally mounted at II to the main frame I,and have a cross bar connection I2 at their upper ends upon which ismounted the spacer bars I3 for spacing the Stacks of laths I0. The legs3 are held in upright position by the braces I4. A header or guide I 5is pivotally mounted to the frame I at I6 and is held in a verticalupright position while the laths are being stacked, providing a stop forsquaring up the stacks of laths.

My new and improved lath holding rack may be folded as illustrated inFigure 3, the legs 2 are pivotally mounted within the frame I and arefolded in the direction indicated, while the legs 3 are pivotallyconnected to the outside of the frame I and fold in the directionindicated when the braces 5 and I4 are released from the frame as shown.The header I5 may also be folded in the direction illustrated after thelegs 2 are folded. This makes a compact package for porting from placeto place. The end I'I of the frame I is eX- tended, as shown, andprovides a means of supporting the end of the frame, raising the legs 3oil the supporting surface allowing the operator to transfer thelocation of the lath holding rack through the use of the rollers 8.

In the operation of my new and improved lath holding rack and laths arestacked upon the frame I between the spacing bars 9 and I3 and withinand against the header or guide I5. This arranges the stacks of laths sothat my new and improved holding clamp I8 may be applied to the surfaceof the stack of laths clamping the laths thereunder so that they may beapplied to the studding of the building being lathed.

rI'he lath holding clamp consists of a main body portion I9 having guidebars 20 spaced therefrom by the bracket arms 2 I. Extending downwardlyfrom the guide bars are spacing pins 22. These pins enter the spaces 23between the laths I Il when the holding clamp is placed upon the stackof laths. Extending downwardly from the main body portion are lockingbars 24. These bars are oblong in shape and pass down between the lathspaces 23 when parallel with the length of the laths. When these lockingbars are in place between the laths and are revolved 90 degrees or lessthey will engage the edges of the laths cutting their way into the edgeof the lath and holding the laths in place underneath the holding clamp.

Locking bars 22 into the edges of have sharp points 25 for cutting thelaths when revolved so that their length is transverse the length of thelath. These locking bars are mounted to shafts 26, which are journaledwithin the main body portion I9 of the holding clamp. The upper ends ofthe shafts 26 have crank arms iixedly mounted thereto, having theiropposite ends pivotally connected at 28 to the connecting link 29. Theshaft 3| of one of the locking bars 24 extends upwardly through the mainframe and has a handle 32 fixedly mounted thereon. When this handle isturned it will revolve the shaft 30 and the crank arm 21A shift theconnecting link 29 to one side or the other at the same time revolvingthe other cranks 21 through a range of 90 degrees rotating all of thelocking bars 24 to either locked or unlocked position.

In the views 6 and 1, the locking bars are shown in locked position. Thelocking bars 24A on either end of the holding clamp are operated by thecam cranks 33 having their cam slots 34 coacting with the cam pin 35.The purpose of this construction relative to the end locking bars is toallow these bars to be located on the extreme edge of the holding clampand still providesufficient rotation to the locking bars.

In the operation of my holding clamp, the clamp is applied to the stackof laths, as shown in Figure l, the handle 32 is revolved to theposition shown, engaging the locking bars between the edges of the lathsand also the outer edge of the outer stack of laths gripping the lathsin spaced relation to the underside of the holding clamp. The pins 22hold all the laths in alignment. The holding clamp is next raised fromthe lath holding rack lifting the upper layer of laths with the same.The holder then is brought into position where the laths will be broughtin the proper position relative to the studding of the building. Thelocking har 24A and the outer spacing pins 22 will rest on the upperlath that had formally been applied to the studding. The operator thenrests his elbow against the holding clamp and applies a nail to thelath, fastening the lath to the studding, after he has nailed the lathsin place he removes the clamp by revolving the handle 32 so that thelocking bars will be released from between the laths by revolving thelongitudinal length parallel to the spacing of the laths.

I do not Wish to be limited to the particular mechanical embodimentshown, described and claimed, as other mechanical equivalents may besubstituted, still coming within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A lathing machine including, means for supporting a plurality oflaths in proper nailing spacing, and a clamp for directly interlockingwith the side edges of a plurality of said laths and holding them inproper relation to be applied to the studding for nailing.

2. A lathing machine including, uprights for supporting a plurality oflaths in properly spaced relation for nailing, a clamp movable withrespect to the uprights and adapted to be interlocked with the sideedges of each of a plurality of laths to permit the laths to be raisedfrom the uprights and applied to the studding.

3. A construction as defined in claim 2 wherein the clamp includeselements to be positioned between adjacent laths spaced by the uprightsand operated to engage and hold such adjacent laths in fixed relation tothe clamp.

4. A construction as defined in claim 2 wherein the clamp is providedwith locking bars to be normally positioned between adjacent laths andfree of engagement therewith, and means carried by the clamp to operatethe locking bars to engage the edges of adjacent laths to fix the lathswith respect to the clamp.

5. A construction as deiined in claim 2 including a series of lockingbars movably supported in the clamp and adapted respectively to intertbetween adjacent laths, the edges of the locking bars being sharpened,and means on the clamp to turn the locking bars to cause their sharpenededges to bite into and support adjacent laths, when a series of laths israised in the clamp.

JOHN F. BULLER.

